Texas woman charged in stabbing death of 4-year-old daughter

Published: Monday, June 19th, 2017 at 8:14am

Updated: Monday, June 19th, 2017 at 12:25pm

This photo provided by the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston shows Laquita Lewis, who has been charged with capital murder in the stabbing death of her 4-year-old daughter at a Houston apartment complex on Sunday, June 18, 2017. (Harris County Sheriff's Office via AP)

HOUSTON — Officials say a woman has been charged with capital murder in the stabbing death of her 4-year-old daughter at a Houston apartment complex.

Deputy Thomas Gilliland of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office says 34-year-old Laquita Lewis texted family members Sunday, telling them she had hurt her child. Gilliland says Lewis texted family members from the hospital, where she had been taken after being injured in a traffic accident.

The relatives contacted the sheriff’s office. When deputies arrived, they found Fredricka Allen dead at the apartment.

Lewis is being held in the Harris County jail Monday. Jail records do not list an attorney to speak for her.

Gilliland says deputies haven’t determined why Lewis killed her daughter, though they believe she got into a fight with her boyfriend earlier Sunday.